After two games on the road, Valley Falls is heading back home. They will take on the Atchison Phoenix at TBD on Friday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Last Tuesday, things could have been worse for Valley Falls, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 46-32 loss to Northeast Kansas Nighthawks HomeSchool. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Valley Falls has scored all season.
Loss or not, Valley Falls got some senior leadership from Korie Kirkwood and Lauren Brown. Kirkwood scored 18 points along with seven rebounds, while Brown. scored eight points along with six rebounds and three steals. That was a full 56.3% of Valley Falls' points, marking the fourth time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points.
Meanwhile, after a string of three wins, Atchison's good fortune finally ran out on Tuesday. They fell just short of Jefferson County North by a score of 51-48.
Despite their loss, Atchison saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Presley Simpson, who scored 27 points along with six rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Simpson has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Kaiya Downing, who scored ten points along with two blocks.
Valley Falls' loss dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Atchison, their loss dropped their record down to 4-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Valley Falls have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Atchison struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Valley Falls came up short against Atchison when the teams last played back in January of 2023, falling 53-40. Will Valley Falls have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
